reviews

Swansea-based Fluellen Theatre Company - best known to local drama lovers for their in-the-round productions of classic works in the Grand's Arts Wing - have upped their game for their latest production, a warm realisation of Dylan Thomas's chronicle of 24 hours in the life of a seaside town played out on the main stage.
 
This is very clearly a labour of love for director Peter Richards, who has not only brought together some of Fluellen's finest and most reliable performers but has also thrown a few surprises into the mix: namely, Grand favourite Kevin Johns - whose refreshingly different approach to characters such as Eli Jenkins (the Reverend, not the pub), Sinbad Sailors and Willy Nilly will hopefully attract those who would normally give dramatic theatre a very wide berth - and production designer Edward Thomas (best known for his work on Doctor Who and Torchwood) who, together with Gwyn Parry, has created a stark and minimalistic raked set upon which the characters' hopes, fears and dreams are given free rein to soar.
 
Add to all this a beautiful musical score composed and performed by Delyth Jenkins and you begin to understand the care and attention to detail with which the production has been put together.
 
The seven performers more than rise to the occasion: Dudley Owen is a particularly fine Captain Cat, while the remainder of the cast - George Andrews, Alison John, Adrian Metcalfe, Claire Novelli, Bethan Thomas and the aforementioned Mr Johns - take on a variety of roles, slipping in and out of their respective characters to great effect.
 
If some scenes fell a little flat - most notably the moment when Captain Cat dreams of his long-drowned shipmates, the power and pathos of which seemed to have been lost here - then this was more than compensated for by the energy and comic inventiveness which enlivened the more successful sequences, such as the children's hyming game, the conversation between the two Mrs Dai Breads and the singalong in The Sailor's Arms.
 
I also enjoyed the "voice of the guide book" sequence, which took the form of a filmed sequence shot in the style of a 1950s travelogue.
 
A splendidly persuasive piece of theatre, Under Milk Wood ends its run at the Grand on Saturday.
 
 
The Odd Couple
 
Depot Studio, Arts Wing, Swansea Grand Theatre
Tuesday, April 28

A great treat for comedy fans from the Swansea-based Fluellen Theatre Company, this entertaining adaptation of the Neil Simon classic sees an eight-strong cast on top-notch form.Kevin Johns might seem an unusual choice for the role of slobbish New Yorker Oscar Maddison (originally played by Walter Matthau in the movie and by Jack Klugman in the TV series), but he fares well and has some great one-liners, as does Adrian Metcalfe as the fastidious and prissy Felix Unger.The contrast between the two characters is conveyed very cleverly, and there are some great contributions from George Andrews, Huw Richards, David Dooley and Peter Richards (who also directed the piece) as the pair's poker buddies. Lovely performances, too, from Jessica Sandry and Naomi Martell as the Pigeon sisters, Cecily and Gwendoline.Just the thing to lift one's spirits at a time of recession and swine flu.

 
Vicar Joe
Depot Studio, Arts Wing, Swansea Grand Theatre
Thursday, February 19


Another outing for Vicar Joe, portrayed with relish by the ever-popular Kevin Johns and a character originally seen in the plays Toshack or Me! and To Hull and Back, two football-themed comedies written by Peter Read and directed by Peter Richards, who are re-united for this piece from SA4 Productions.


This time around, the format is very different since it is a one-man show, revolving entirely around the irreverent Reverend and his run-ins with the church council.Kevin Johns clearly loves the character, and Read has taken pains to include topics close to the performer's heart - not simply football and religion, but also a sub-plot about the plight of the homeless.Vicar Joe is a character with a great deal of mileage, and one suspects that we have by no means seen the last of him: indeed, given the lack of good clean family orientated comedy on TV, it would be interesting to see the character given a chance on the small screen.


How about it, BBC Wales?

Panto 2007/08

Review South Wales Eveing Post

KEVIN STILL SPARKLES AMONG SOAP STARS

Swansea Grand Theatre

IF this year's Grand panto feels more than a little different - and it does, oh yes it does - it is because a new company, UK Productions, has taken the helm.

The brand may have changed but one thing remains constant, namely, the ever-reliable Kevin Johns, who adds more than a dash of local flavour to a show which might otherwise seem just a little generic. As ever, he plays the dame - in this case, Sarah the Cook - and from the minute he comes on stage he does a terrific job of engaging with the audience.

Another local element comes in the form of Swansea-born Hayley Gallivan, whose role as Alice Fitzwarren gives her every opportunity to shine: those of us who remember her as an usherette at the Grand - and as a performer in productions from Gorseinon College - will not be surprised at her confidence and ability here.

Hannah Waterman fares well as the feisty, black-booted Dick Whittington, while soap stars Anne Charleston and Ray Meagher (pictured) both excel in their respective roles as Fairy Bowbells and King Rat.

Strong contributions, too, from veteran performer Barry Daniels as Alderman Fitzwarren and Adam Gaskin as Tommy the Cat.

Rik Gaynor, who stars here as a slick, amiable and very Northern Idle Jack, not only directs the show but is also responsible for writing some of the original songs and adapting the script, some elements of which could use some judicious trimming: the kind of innuendoes which were once a staple of panto have surely fallen out of favour in more recent years - and don't get me started on the flatulence gags, of which there were far too many on the opening night.

Watch out for a stunning underwater sequence in the second half, which involves Dick "swimming" behind a series of clever video projections, and some nicely choreographed dance numbers which feature young dancers from the Grand Theatre School of Dance.

Musical director Griff Harries does a fine job with the musical numbers, including Take That's Shine and even some snatches from Riverdance.


THE STAGE REVIEW

UK Productions are rightly renowned for the slickness and professionalism of their touring shows, and this - the first panto to be staged by the company at the Grand - is no exception.


There is a sense in which the slick approach tends to eclipse the warmth and the essential local flavour that Swansea audiences have come to expect in recent years, but this is more than compensated for by the performances from Kevin Johns as Sarah the Cook and Hayley Gallivan as Alice Fitzwarren, both of whom engage brilliantly with the home audience.

Seasoned trouper Barry Daniels fares particularly well as Alderman Fitzwarren, while Adam Gaskin does a super job as Tommy the Cat.

The big names for this one are Hannah Waterman - who cuts a fine figure in the title role - plus Ray Meagher as a highly effective and villainous King Rat, and Anne Charleson as the dotty but lovable Fairy Bowbells - but it is Rik Gaynor’s Idle Jack who dominates the proceedings with his breakneck delivery and lively, animated approach.

One suspects that the script has been doing the rounds for a while, and some segments would benefit from the odd tweak here and there - some of the references are a tad dated, and several of the gags hark back to the days when innuendo and flatulence jokes were an accepted part of the genre.

Musical director Griff Harries and young performers from the Grand Theatre Dance School complete the line-up for this spirited, if rather overly long, production, which should hopefully get the box office tills ringing well into 2008.


Aladdin   

 
The ever-reliable Kevin Johns is nothing short of perfect as the archetypal panto dame, Widow Twankey - a role which gives him every opportunity to play to his strengths and to have fun
          
South Wales Evening Post
 
 
Toshack or Me  (January Production)
Kevin Johns scores heavily in an amusing subplot as a footie-crazed 
vicar called Joe, whose clash with the Bishop (George Andrews)
provides some of the play's most diverting moments.
Evening Post
 
 
 Toshack or Me  (January Production)
 
The nail-biting head-to-head was the climax of the play, which gave us a mirthsome performance by Kevin Johns and the rest of the cast.

The scene-stealing comic made his Fluellen debut as a Swans-loving vicar who entreats the Lord for victory at the Vetch and who harries and hurries his congregation through services so he can catch the kick-off.

He gets in a bit of bother with the Bish and is hauled up before the ecclesiastical authorities to explain himself - leading to some great physical comedy and a string of dodgy but charming football jokes.

Evening Post
 
  Fresh from his Panto run, Kevin Johns took the part of the Vicar, who prays for his team to win and is filled with the wrong kind of spirit that often lands him in trouble. With his usual apt comic timing, Kevin Johns proved excellent entertainment, whipping the crowd up just as he’s done so for years at Swans games.

Johns and Miles were the main instigators of visual comedy – one of the play’s strongest points, leaving the audience in stitches.

Theatre Wales
 
Amazing Grace
 
 Kevin Johns almost stole the show - is there nothing that man cannot turn his hand to. (I must admit I was half expecting him to don his Widow Twankey costume)? Kevin produced an extremely credible performance as miners' leader Will Hay. 
                                                                                                          Llanelli Star
  
Kevin Johns was clearly having a whale of a time as Miner’s Leader Will Hay  
                                                                                                                  Evening Post
 
 One of the highlights of the show was Kevin Johns and Raise the Flag.
 
   North Wales Weekly News
 
 The other singing miners are led by Kevin Johns, happily moonlighting from his day-job, presenting the Breakfast Show for Swansea Sound, he gives an authoritative performance as Will Hay, another who, at the beginning, is doubtful about the force of Evans conviction.

Theatre Wales

Kevin Johns scores heavily in an amusing subplot as a footie-crazed vicar called Joe, whose clash with the Bishop (George Andrews) provides some of the play's most diverting moments
 
Toshack or Me - South Wales Evening Post

------------------

Panto at the Swansea Grand Theatre was a great success this year.
Kev was back as Dame - Nurse Rhondda in the Qdos production of Snow White.

A PRETTY GIRL, PRINCE AND A WITCH - IT'S PANTO TIME AGAIN


Kevin Johns - resplendent as ever in a variety of vastly overdone frocks and bonnets brilliantly delivers quickfire gags with real comedic flair.

On the opening night, however, it was during the off-the-cuff exchanges with a group of children from the audience that Kevin Johns struck gold with his deadpan observations about the Ospreys' performance at the Liberty Stadium earlier that evening - an excellent example of the way in which this popular performer is able to salvage comic gold from the most unlikely sources.
GRAHAM WILLIAMS   Evening Post

Kevin Johns shines as the archetypal dame figure, Nurse Rhondda, bringing his homely and at times disarmingly deadpan brand of humour to the role.
Western Mail
 

Panto

Swansea Grand favourite Kevin Johns - a likeable and charismatic entertainer whose loyalty to this venue is legendary - is a terrific Dame Trot with a booming voice and a vast array of dreadful frocks,  

'British Theatre Guide'

  
KEVIN JOHNS brings his usual knockabout charm and "Swansea Jack" flavour to the role of Dame Trot, and has the crowd in stitches from
the word go'.
   Encore
 
 Kevin Johns is his usual splendid self as Dame Trot, bringing all his local knowledge to bear upon the role and relating brilliantly to the audience   Theatre in Wales
 
 It is particularly appropriate that this piece should be staged so soon after the Grand's record-breaking run of Jack and the Beanstalk, all the more so when one considers that one of the panto's stars - the popular local radio presenter Kevin Johns - made a surprise guest appearance in the role of Micho, a vintner who wants to marry off his dullard of a son, Nikez (Denis Muruev), to local beauty Lise (Evgenia Enikeeva).

Amazingly, Johns was perfect for the part and worked in perfect harmony with Muruev - indeed, the pair emerged as a Laurel and Hardy-style partnership that brought the house down  
Western Mail

'Kevin Johns is hugely entertaining as Dame Gertie the circus proprietor.
He provides the essential local  knowledge, once again proving that
he's a firm favourite at the Grand, in or out of a dress.
 
Big Issue Cymru.

'Kevin Johns gives a great performence as Gertie Gemmel.  The Stage

'Kevin Johns hams it up superbly as the dame' 
South Wales Evening Post

Kevin Johns - who yet again played an excellent Dame and brought
great humour to the stage.
   
Western Mail.

'As Gertie Gemmel the Circus Owner was local Hero  Kevin Johns - A clever and popular performer who always goes down  well at the Grand'
                                                                         'Encore Magazine'
 

Snow White

‘Comic relief is provided by Kevin Johns – surely destined to follow in the footsteps of the great Wyn Calvin as the archtetypal panto dame.’ Western Mail


‘One of the best pantomimes around this year is Snow White at the Swansea Grand Theatre……….. Three of the cast lifted it above the norm for me, Mike Doyle, Kevin Johns as Nurse Megan and Poppy Tierney….…….Johns ad libbed wonderfully during the ritual humiliation of parents of the chosen children.’ Cardiff Daily Echo.


Peter Pan

‘Mike Doyle(Smee) and Kevin Johns (Starky) were an Inspired pairing and displayed enormous respect not only for their audience but for each other.’ Encore


Cinderella  - Grand Pavillion Porthcawl

The star of the show was undoubtedly Kevin Johns, following his brilliant success as Wishee Washee at the Pavillion last year. The year he was Buttons, Kev has proved to be a first class entertainer. He was quick, funny and kept children on their toes greeting him every time he came on stage. He's like a Welsh Lou Costello, pleasing the children as he talked to them, not down to them.    The Stage.



Jack and the Beanstalk - Grand Pavilion Porthcawl

Swansea star Kevin Johns has made a name for himself in the past few years as the leading performer in South Wales - and this festive season is once again thrilling the audiences at the Grand Pavillion Porthcawl. Kev plays Simple Simon and in the early days of the month long run he has gone down a treat with the kids who have packed into the Pavillion. His humour is topical and fascinating and the parents also love him.
South Wales Evening Post.


Aladdin - Grand Pavillion Porthcawl

Stealing the show has to be Kevin Johns as local layabout
Wishee Washee - a gifted comedian - who can sing !

Western Mail.


Aladdin Porthcawl

Kevin Johns is outstanding as Wishee Washee. He emerges as the
children's favourite every time he's on stage, whether he's fooling around or performing tricks of magic and illusion.

The Stage.


Excelsior Choir Annual Concert - June 2002

The Evening was a great success, the sparkling humour of Kevin Johns made a great concert.



Concerts

‘The evening was expertly hosted by Wales’ entertainment icon, the unflappable Kevin Johns.’   South Wales Evening Post

The Welsh final of one of Britain’s biggest talent shows hosted by Kevin Johns – a firm favourite with young and old alike brought the best out of these spirited performers, encouraging them to project their personalities while poking gentle fun at the judges.
South Wales Evening Post